Printing machine



April 29, 1941; F, AN H M 2,240,1' 12 PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 10, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS.

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F. w. EGAN EI'AL PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 10, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 29, 1941. F. w. EGAN ETAL.

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oc't. 10, 19:59

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PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 10. 1939 s Sheets- Sheet e TOR 6 1 ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 29, 1941 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE Waldron Corporation, New Brunswick, N. J., a corporation of New J erscy' 4 Application October 10, 1939, Serial No. 2 98.730

17 Claims. (01: 101-157) This invention relates to printing machines .of the general type illustrated in Scott et al.

Patent No. 2,102,386. In such type machine, there are several sets of printing and impression cylinders so arranged that the web to be printed passes upwardly through some of the sets and downwardly through the remaining sets. Provision is made for using difierent size printing cylinders and for expeditiously replacing a printing cylinder with a different size printing cylinder. Means also are provided for supplying ink to the printing cylinders and in intaglio printing, a doctor blade co-operates with the printing cylinder to remove excess ink therefrom. In order for the optimum operation, the ink should be supplied uniformly to the printing cylinder.

An object of this invention is the provision of a doctor mounting which can easily and quickly be adjusted for co-operation with different size printing cylinders. 1

A further object of this invention is the provision of ink supply means which will insure delivery to the cylinder of an ink film of uniform thickness.

A still further object of this inventionis the provision of means for agitating the ink supply to keep it of uniform composition.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with some elements omitted;

Fig. 3 is a section substantially on 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section similar the line to Fig. 3 but with e different size printing cylinder; I

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of Fig. 1

Figs. 6 and 'I'are fragmentary perspective views of parts of the device;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of aseoond embodiment of the invention; x p p s Fig. 9 is an end view of Fig. 8 illustrating. a modification, and

Fig. 10 is a schematic view.

Figs. 1 to '7 illustrate a set of impression and printing cylinders between which the web is fed upwardlytogether with the mechanisms associated therewith. The frame l0 .of the printing press carries a pair of posts II on each of which is slidably mounted a carriage I2 which is adjustable toward and away from theframeby the hand wheel l3. An impression cylinder I is jourfacing yoke member nalled in the frame ,Ill and a printing cylinder P is journalled in bearings mounted on the carriages l2.

.Each'carriage is provided with an upwardly l4 in which is received a pintle I5 extending from one end of a pan I6 arranged to enclose the major portion of the printingcylinder P, each pintle being arranged near the top and rear of the pan. This pan com- 1'0 prises end frames I! which carry the pintles l5 and a cross-bar 18 extending between said frames, together with a strip of sheet metal attached to the frames and cross-bar and constituting-the front, back and bottom of the pan. On

the bottom of the pan near the front thereof is provided a rail l9 which rests upon a pair of spaced. rollers .20. The pan is supported by the rollers 20 and yokelmembers M in definite relation tothe roller P and the frame H), but may be easily and quickly. moved out of such relation. The, rollers 2|. are journalled in the free ends of pivoted arms 2| equipped with operating handles 22. Each arm has an extension 23 having a recess to receive a spring-actuated bolt 24 to lock each arm 2| with its roller properly arranged to supportthe .pan in its normal position. To drop the pan from its normal position, the looking boltsv are pulledout,- thereby. permitting the pan to swing about the axes of. the pintles I5.

. the yoke members hi, the pan is released for sliding movement on the rails 26 away from the frame l0.

vTo each frame I1 is connecteda slide 21 which is provided with a feed screw 28 for effecting adjustment of the slidetoward and away from the printing cylinder B. Each slide is provided with .a cylindrical projection or stub 29 on which rests a hook 30 extending from a cross-bar 3!. The hooks support the .bar from the projections for. swinging movement about .the axisof the projections. A doctor blade-32.15 carried by a cross-bar 3| for engagement .withthe surface of the. printing roller P.. At each end of the crossbar 3| is provided a pin 33 to which is attached one end of a coil spring 34. The otherend of such spring is connected to a rod 35 slidably mounted in a block 36 pivotally supported from the frame H. A sleeve 3 having one end abutting the block 36 surrounds the end of the rod 3.5 projecting beyond the block 35, such. end of the rod being threaded and extending slightly beyond conical ends extending into sockets in the end of a shaft 43 on which is mounted an'inking roller 44 for co-operation with the printing cylinder P. The shaft 43 is providedvwith a gear- 45 in mesh with a gear 45rotatab1e:with the printing cylinder P, the gear ratio being such". that there is a slight slippage between the surfaces of the printing roll and inking roll. Arms 41 are attached to the shaft 40 andl extend.

through slotsin. the rear of the pan. In.each arm 41 is provided a set screw 48, one"'en of. which engages a platform 49 to limit clockwise swingingmovement of the arm 4|, therebydetermining. the spacing between the printing cylinder and inking roller. The free endof'each arm 47 is connected to one end of'a coil spring 50, the other end of which is attached to a threaded rod 5| passing through the angle iron 52 attached to the cross-bar 8. A wing nut 53 is provided on the rod 5| foradjusting'the tension of the spring. which tends to swing. the arm 41 clockwise. An ink trough 54 is'supported by the. pins 42 below the inking roller. 44, the trough being free to rotateon such pins; Each end wall of the trough has an arcuate; slot 55 into which projects a bolt 56threaded to the arm 4|, the bolt 56' serving to clamp thetrough 54 in any desired position of adjustment.

The main body of ink is'retained in the bottom of the pan l6 and is supplied to the trough. 54 through the pipes 51 which discharge into chutes 58- supported by the. shaft 40 and leadingdownwardly to the trough 54. Each pipe 5T leads fromthe outlet of a diaphragm pump-59. located at the bottom of the pan. the construction and operation of which will later'be described. The pumps 59 supply inkto the trough. at a higher'rate than ink. is taken out by the roller 44 so that ink continuously overflows the;

front edge of the trough and-theposition of 'the frontedge of the trough relative to the axi's of the roller determines the area ofthe roller in contact-with the ink. Upon change of the printing roller P from one size to anothenthe arms. are adjusted to locate the inking roller 44 in proper relation to the printing roller. After such adjustment,.the front edge of the-trough. 54 is properly fixed relative-to the axisof roller 44 to obtain the desired area of contact. The proper positioning of the frontedge of the trough relative totheroller axis is obtained by releasinn the bolt 56 and properly rotating. the trough. afterwhich thebolt 56 is' tightened. Also, the doctor blade 32 is adjusted by. moving'the slide 2! by rotating the feed screw 28.

the modification disclosed in Fig. 8, the: Web passes downwardly between the impression. cylinder I and the printing cylinder B. The pan l6-is-0f the same generalstructureas previously described and is supportedfrom. the carriages |2 through the medium of yokes. Hand pintles 5 and is equipped witha cross-rail. l9 resting upon. rollers 2-D carried. by pivoted arms 2| as previously described. The pan. l6 and carriages I2 are provided with flanges 25 and 26 by means of which the pan may be guided into and out of assembled relation to the frame as well as to the printing and impression cylinders. At each end of the pan is journalled a worm gear 60 having in mesh therewith a worm wheel 6| provided with a hand wheel 62. An arm B3is attached to the worm gear 60 for rotation therewith and to the outer end of each arm 53 is hinged a second arm 64. A cross-bar 85' connects the arms 64 and carries a doctor blade 65. On the arm 64 is provided a pin to which is attached one end of a coil spring 61, the'otherend ofwhich is attached to a rod 68 slidably-supported. in a block 69 pivotally carried bythecframe H. A sleeve HI surrounds the portion' of the rod: 68 projecting beyond the block 69, and the rod 68 is threaded to receive a wing nut adapted to bear against the end of the sleeve 10'; the wing nut making it possible to adjust the tension of the spring 68. The doctor blade is adjustable toward and away from the printing cylinder" by manipulation of the hand wheel" 62.

The ink trough I2 is carried by a slide 13 supported'by the frames I! and a feed screw 14 is provided for effecting adjustment of the slide. The main body of ink is. carried in the bottom of the pan Hi and. is introduced into the tray 12 through pipes 15 leading from pumps 16 located at the bottom of the pan.

Upon change of the printing cylinder to one of a difierent size, the doctor is adjusted by operation of the hand wheel 62 and the ink trough I2 is adjusted by operation of thefeed screw 14. The area of. contact between the cylinder and ink is determined by the. adjustment of. the trough. Each of the pans I6 is equipped with a sheet metal cover 1'! which overlies the printing roller, inking trough and doctor blade.

In Fig. 9' isillustrated a modification adapted forus'e' in printingiwith so-called hotmelt ink.

or ink" which is solid at" ordinary room temperature and is liquid at temperatures. ma-

teriallyinexcess of ordinary room temperature. The arrangement of the pan l6 and its supporting structure is the same as in Fig. 8, except that means are provided for heat insulating the pan, together with the pintles 5 from the frame. For this purpose, each yoke I4 is supplied with a. liner |4a of heat insulating material which will withstand the wear effected by. reciprocation of the pintles I5 and the rail I9 is likewise equipped with a strip |9a of similar heat-insulating.material. On.the bottom of the pan Hi'is provided a steam jacket 18 towhich steam is-supplied through the pipe 191 The ink in thepan is heated by the steamsupplied to the jacket 18 and loss of' heat fromthe pan. by conduction is minimized by the provision of the insulating members I40. and. |9'a. It is contemplatedthat when. hot melt ink is used,, the printing cylinder P will be heated by suitable means (not shownL The pan I6 is supported for reciprocation. axially of the printing cylinderP to effect reciprocation of. the doctor. over thesurface of' such cylinder. A.vibrator has itsvibrating element connected. through a suitable coupler 8| with one pintle. |5and1operation of'the. vibrator results. in reciprocation of the. pan l6. Al'so,,in the modification illustratedin Figs'. 3 and 4,.reciprocation of the pan efiects. reciprocation of the inking roller 44' relative to. the. printing ro1l., Such reciprocation also is effective to operate the pumps 59 to pump ink from'thepansinto the troughs 54' and 12 and also to keep the ink well mixed. As shown in Fig. 8, each pump 59comprises a housing attached to the bottom'of the pan and having two openings; one of which communicates with the interior of the pan and the other of which communicates with the pipe 51 of Fig, 3 or the pipe 15 of Fig. 8. One wall of the housing comprises a flexible diaphragm to which is attached a stud 82; This'stud is adapted to be engaged by one end of a bell crank lever 83 pivotally supported by the bottom of the pan. The other end of the bell crank lever is provided with an adjustable pin 84 which is adapted to engage an abutment member 85 carried by the frame. As the pan vibrates, the bell crank levers are caused to rock, thus flexing the diaphragms and pumping ink from the bottom of the pan through the pipes into the trough. v

' As shown in Fig. 10, the vibrators 80 are connected through a set of pipes to a pneumatic pump 86 which is driven by a belt from'the main drive shaft S of the machine. The vibrators, therefore, become inoperative simultaneously with the stopping of the machine, thereby preventing vibration of the doctors over the surface of the stationary cylinders. Also, as shown in this' figure, the connection of the vibrators maybe 'to the doctors only rather than to the pans I6. With such connections, the pans remain stationary and also the doctors are vibrated whenthe machine is in operation. v

Fig. 10 further shows the general outline of the machine and the arrangement of the diiferent sets of printing and impression cylinders 50 that a plurality of different impressions may be applied tola ,webjby, a single passage'of such web through the machine. Similarly, operation of the various sets of printing and impression cylinders is effected by means of a single chain C driven by the main drive shaft S. The web W passes downwardly through the sets of printing and impression cylinders at one side of the machine and upwardly through the sets of printing and impression cylinders at the opposite side of the machine.

We claim:

1. In a printing machine, a printing cylinder, a pan partially enclosing said cylinder, a doctor for said cylinder, a holder for said doctor, pivotal supporting means for said holder, a carrier in said pan for said pivotal supporting means movable to adjust said pivotal supporting means toward and away from the printing cylinder axis, means for efi'ecting movement of said carrier, and resilient means supported by said pan and connected to said holder for maintaining the latter with the doctor in engagement with the surface of said cylinder.

2. In a printing machine, a printing cylinder,

a pan partially enclosing said cylinder, a doctor for said cylinder, a holder for said doctor, pivotal supporting means for said holder, a slidable carrier in said pan for said pivotal supporting means movable toward and away from the printing cylinder axis, means to effect reciprocation of said carrier, and resilient means supported by said pan and connected to said holder for maintaining the latter with the doctor in engagement with the surface of said cylinder.

3. In a printing machine, a printing cylinder, a pan partially enclosing said cylinder, a doctor for said cylinder, a holder for said doctor, pivotal supporting means for said holder, a pivoted carrier in said pan for said pivotal supporting means oscillatable' to adjust said pivotal supporting means toward and away from the printing cylinder axis, means to effect movement of said carrier, and resilient means supported by said pan and connected to said holder for maintaining the latter with the doctor in engagement with the surface ofsa'id printing cylinder.

4. In a printing machine,- a printing cylinder, a pan partially enclosing said cylinder and supported for reciprocation axially of said cylinder, a-troug-h supported in said pan, a pump supportedby said pan and having a vibratory actuating-member, means for eflecting vibration of said member upon reciprocation of said pan, means for conducting fluid from said pan to said Pu p, and means for conducting liquid from said pump to said trough.

5. In aprinting ma hine, a printing cylinder, a pan partially enclosing said cylinder and sup ported for reciprocation axially of said cylinder, a trough supported in said pan, a pump sup ported by said pan and having a vibratory actuating member, means for efiecting-vibration of said member upon reciprocation of said pan, means for conducting fluid from said pan to said pump,

means for conducting liquid from said pump to said trough, and means for adjusting said trough relative to said printing cylinder.

6. In a printing machine, a printing cylinder, a pan extending lengthwise of and partially receiving said cylinder, an ink trough in said pan, a

doctor co-operating with said cylinder and mounted 'in' said pan, means for reciprocating said pan and pump means actuated by reciprocation of said pan for delivering ink from said pan to said trough. v

7. In a printing machine, a printing cylinder, a pan extending lengthwise of and partially receiving said cylinder, an ink trough in'saidpan, a doctor co-operating with said cylinder and mounted in said pan, means including rollers engaging the bottom of said pan for reciprocably supporting said pan, means to effect reciprocation of said pan, pivoted arms supporting said rollers. and means for locking said arms in pan-supporting position.

8. In a printing machine, a printing cylinder. a pan extending lengthwise of and partially receiving said cylinder, an ink trough supported in said pan in operative relation to said cylinder, means including rollers supporting said pan for reciprocation, means to reciprocate said pan and pan-supported pump means actuated by reciprocation of the pan for delivering ink from said pan to said trough.

9. In a printing machine, a printing cylinder, a pan extending lengthwise of and partially receiving said cylinder, "an ink trough supported in said pan, a pintle extending from each end of said pan, hooks receiving said pintle for reciprocatory movement of the pan, flanges on the ends of said pans, horizontal rollers adapted to be engaged by said flanges in one position of the pan, a pair of pivoted arms, rollers at the ends of said arms, means locking said rollers in position to support said pan with the flanges out of contact with the rollers and means for reciprocating said pan.

10. In a printing machine, a printing cylinder, a pan extending lengthwise of and partially receiving said cylinder, an ink trough supported in said pan, means including rollers supporting said pan for reciprocation, pivoted arms at the ends of which are mounted said rollers, flanges on the edge of said pan, horizontal rails adapted to, be engaged by flanges in one position of the pan, means locking said arms with aid rollersv supporting said pan. with the flanges out of contact with the rollers, and means for reciprocating said pan.

11. In a printing machine, a printing cylinder, a pan extending lengthwise of and partially receiving said cylinder, an ink trough supported in said pan in operative relation to said cylinder, a pair of pivoted arms, rollers at the end of said arms adapted to engage said pan and support the same for reciprocation, means for locking said arms in pan-supporting position, additional means for supporting said Dan upon movement of said rollers out of pan-supporting position, and means to reciprocate said pan.

12. In a printing machine, a printing cylinder, a transfer roll operatively related to said cylinder, pivoted means supporting said roll for arcuate adjustment about. the axis of the supporting means, a trough suspended from said last-named means below said roll for adjustment about the axis thereof, and means for supplying ink to said trough.

1 3. In a printing machine, a printing cylinder, a pan partially enclosing said cylinder, a doctor for said cylinder, a holder for said doctor, pivotal supporting means for said holder, a. carrier in said pan for said pivotal supporting means movable, to adjust said pivotal supporting means to-. ward and away from the printing cylinder axis, means to eifect movement of said carrier, resilient means supported by said pan and connected to said holder for maintaining the latter with the doctor in engagement with the surface of said cylinder, an ink trough mounted in said pan, an means for adjusting the same relative to said printing cylinder.

14. In a printing machine, a printing cylinder,

a p n. ext nd ng en thw se o nd par ially eing said ylinder, an nk t ough m unted in s i v pan, a doctor oe ati with s d yl nder and mounted in said pan, means for efiecting adjustment of said doctor and said ink trough relative to Saidcylinder, means for reciprocating said pan, and means actuated by reciprocation of said pan for delivering ink from said pan to said trough.

15. In a printing machine, a printing cy inder, a pan partially enclosing said cylinder and supported for reciprocation axially of said cy nder, a doctor for-said cylinder, means in said pan pivotally supporting said doctor and movable to adiustthe same relative to said printing cylinder, resilient means supported by said pan urging said doctor into engagement with the surface of said cylinder, and means for eifecting reciprocaio o s id. Dan.

16. In a printing machine, a cylinder, a pan partially enclosing Said cylinder, heat insulating members supportin said pan for reciprocation axially of said Cylinder, means in said pan pivotally supporting said doctor and movable to ad just the same relative to, saidprinting cylinder, resilient means supported by said pan urging said d r to engagement with the su face of sa d cylinder, and means for eifecting reciprocation of said pan.

17. In a printing machine, a cylinder, a pan partially enclosing said cylinder, heat insulating members supporting said pan, means in said pan pivotally supporting said doctor and movable to adjustthe same. r lative to said printing cylinder, resilient means supported by said pan urge ing said doctor into engagement with the surface of said cylinder, and means for efiecting reciprocation of said doctor axially of said cylinder.

W- N- L N'N B. CASE. 

